Atheists Are Hot

Posted on December 7, 2008 by Guest Contributor

Of course, we already knew this. (I tell myself I’m hot every day.) But it looks like The Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat just found out. At least the mainstream media is finally taking notice:

… Suddenly atheists are hot.

And everywhere. Wearing Santa hats while wrapping gifts for charity. Giving blood in groups of 15. Manning pledge-drive phones at Seattle public radio station KUOW.

Membership in the five-year-old Seattle Atheists has soared — to 122 dues-paying members plus 600 more on the event list.

It has a budget surplus. It’s planning ads in Metro buses. It has its own line of “atheist activewear” — T-shirts to mark the wearer as out and proud in their disbelief.

They even have a local hero, Ron Reagan, son of the former president. He has cut radio ads that end with: “Ron Reagan, lifelong atheist. Not afraid of burning in hell.”

Mel Gibson was so 2004. Now it’s the passion of the rational.

The article talks about the Seattle Atheists (two mentions in one day on this blog? Nice!) and the events they’re holding, including manning a water booth during the Seattle Marathon last weekend while holding a sign reading, “SEATTLE ATHEISTS — WE BELIEVE IN YOU.”

Why in heaven’s name were atheists sponsoring a road-race water station?

“Because we like that people are running on a Sunday instead of going to church?” said Wendy Britton, 43, a financial consultant from Bellevue and lifelong God-denier.

Or it’s just a kind thing to do, and atheists are just as capable of that as anyone else.

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  • GullWatcher

    I live in Seattle now, I was thinking of joining, but now that they have decided to be all dickish and complainy about the FFRF sign, I don’t think I’m interested.

    If they feel so strongly, why don’t they put up their own sign in Olympia, instead of tearing down the FFRF?

  • Eliza

    Seattle Atheists’ mission statement reads: “Through education, we strive to educate the public and change the image of atheism. We strive to promote understanding and respect toward all freethinkers by opposing discrimination and emphasizing reason and critical thinking.” Seems to me that SA’s statement regarding the displays at the state capitol in Olympia fits with trying to change the image of atheism.

    I don’t think the rotunda at the state capitol building needs another sign; however, if the state government wants to continue to allow private displays I would be delighted to see a Festivus pole (reportedly being planned), an FSM, and a Tree of Reason decorated with books.

    And, though I am a member of SA and agree with the statement SA released, I did also donate to FFRF via a link from one of Hemant’s posts about the display in Olympia. The more discussion there is in the public forum about atheism, the more people realize we aren’t the tiny marginalized group they think we are. (We’re a large marginalized group – with little in the way of organization, but that part seems to be changing thanks to the internet.)

  • http://blueollie.wordpress.com ollie

    Ooops…when I read the title I thought that you might be talking about Evolved and Rational. :)